Afghanistan

05/27/2014

Bureau boss overseeing shipments has Benghazi connections

The State Department bureau tasked with secretly sending to embassies plastic and liquid explosives operates under the guidance of Under Secretary of State for Management Patrick F. Kennedy, whom a congressional panel last year separately found to be largely responsible for security lapses in Benghazi, WND has learned.

A series of WND articles recently exposed the purchase and international transport of many hundreds of pounds of plastic, sheet and linear explosives along with thousands of containers of high-energy liquid explosives.

Weeks after a State official laughed in response to WND’s inquiry, the department belatedly reacted to a follow-up request for information about how, where and by whom the blasting equipment will be used.

10/29/2013

The
Obama administration during the partial government shutdown concealed a plan to
funnel millions into yet another project in Afghanistan, where U.S. taxpayers
are helping farmers grow wheat instead of illicit crops used in narcotics
production.

Iranians
and Pakistanis could particularly benefit from the endeavor, according to
contracting documents U.S. Trade & Aid Monitor discovered via routine database research.

The
U.S. Agency for International Development explicitly identified Iran and
Pakistan as long-time recipients of food products exported from the targeted
provinces of Helmand, Kandahar and Zabul, which likewise have helped satisfy
Afghanistan’s nationwide food requirements.

The Monitor’s
discovery of USAID’s purported oversight in public disclosure comes at a time
when President Obama and his supporters have escalated their rhetoric about the
shutdown’s impact on the nation’s financial and political stability.

Just
as Obama was casting blame on Republicans for attempting to wreck the U.S.
economy, USAID simultaneously failed to notify the American public, as required
by government regulations, of its $125 million award to contracting behemoth
Chemonics International.

Chemonics
secured the award Oct. 7, at the end of Week One of the budgetary stalemate
among both houses of Congress and the White House.

USAID
did not publish the award notice until Oct. 17, the day Obama signed the bill
to end the partial shutdown and raise the federal debt ceiling.

The
agency, however, did not attempt to blame the delay on the shutdown nor could
it realistically attempt to do so, as the FedBizOpps online contracting system
was fully operational during that period.

Rather,
the agency offered an uncertain excuse for its procrastination, claiming a
“systems integration and/or transmission error resulted that the award notice
was not posted.”

USAID
admitted it should have publicly announced the award “on or before” Oct. 10

Chemonics
will carry out the Regional Agricultural Development Program, or RADP-South
initiative, “to improve food and economic security for rural Afghans in the
targeted areas.”

“This
sustainable agricultural development program will support the consolidation of
licit economies to fuel economic growth, including providing alternatives to
poppy cultivation,” according the project’s Statement of Work.

As
this writer reported for WND, the U.S. Trade & Development Agency – an
independent White House agency – offered to pay a consultant $300,000 to guide
Kenyan and other East African power companies on how to tap into Obama’s
multi-billion-dollar Power Africa scheme.

While
USTDA arguably is a relatively small agency – its FY 2014 budget request is
just under $63 million – it consistently undergoes criticism along with calls for
closure. Former Republican Rep. Ron Paul and free-market think tanks such as
the Cato Institute regularly denounce it as among the most duplicative and
wasteful of all federal entities.

USTDA
consequently represents one of the most egregious examples of “corporate
welfare waste,” the Cato Institute concluded in a 2005 report. These and
similar organizations “should be terminated,” contended the report’s author,
Chris Edwards.

This article originally was published Oct. 24, 2013 via WND. Under agreement with the publisher, rights have reverted back to the copywrite holder, Steve Peacock.

10/24/2013

The
Obama administration during the partial government shutdown concealed a plan to
funnel millions into yet another project in Afghanistan, where U.S. taxpayers
are helping farmers grow wheat instead of illicit crops used in narcotics
production.

Iranians
and Pakistanis could particularly benefit from the endeavor, according to
contracting documents WND discovered via routine database research.

The
U.S. Agency for International Development explicitly identified Iran and
Pakistan as long-time recipients of food products exported from the targeted
provinces of Helmand, Kandahar and Zabul, which likewise have helped satisfy
Afghanistan’s nationwide food requirements.

08/27/2012

Despite the cultural resistance to women’s rights in Afghanistan—evidenced by poison attacks on girls’ schools, public executions of women, officially sanctioned wife beating, and last month’s car-bomb assassination of the Director of Women’s Affairs—the Obama Administration is about to dump an additional $260 million into that nation in an attempt to bring about changes to that society.

07/16/2012

The U.S.-funded construction of an Afghan National Army slaughterhouse -- whose estimated cost reaches upwards of $100 million -- is coming closer to fruition, as contractor bids are due this Saturday (July 21) . The U.S. Army Corp of Engineers project, as spelled out in a 1,300+ page solicitation released earlier this year, will provide a modern, climate-controlled facility to help the U.S. achieve its policy goal of making the Afghanistan military more self-sufficient. The facility will be located in the Deh-e-Sabz District, Kabul Province.

07/09/2012

The federal agency responsible for administering civilian foreign aid is now hiring workers to combat negative news media and promote positive spin about its Afghanistan operations.

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), is enlisting private-sector assistance to “lead rapid response efforts to correct erroneous or misleading news accounts.”

The agency on Tuesday re-launched its recruitment of a senior press liaison, who among other tasks must embark upon “aggressive outreach efforts” and “forge productive relationships” with international as well as Afghan news organizations, according to a Personal Services Contract, or PSC, notice – Solicitation #SOL-306-12-000025-01/OPPD – that WND located the via routine database research.

Just last year, U.S. foreign aid to Afghanistan was the subject of a damning comprehensive congressional report that found billions of dollars of American aid may have been used to fuel corruption and create programs that would collapse as soon as the U.S. exited the region, causing dependency and future economic troubles for the poverty-stricken country.

In 2010, a media report exposed a $60 million “mismanaged” USAID project that left Afghans “angered over project failures, secrecy and wasted funds.”

This latest contracting action is only one of many media-monitoring and news-manipulation endeavors that USAID and the U.S. Department of State recently have launched.

Obama, likewise, is creating the equivalent of propaganda ministry that will leverage the assistance of “global news coverage service providers” who will create and disseminate department “news.”

USAID, in this most recent project, is aiming to hire a press liaison with an extensive background as a working journalist – someone possessing not just deep knowledge of what news organizations need, but, most importantly, an exhaustive understanding of how the U.S. government might enable those media to meet their editorial needs.

The liaison therefore must be “persistent, tactful and thorough in gathering and placing stories,” the PSC emphasized.

“The Embassy Public Affairs Office performs this function for the embassy, and the USAID senior press liaison would work closely with the embassy, coordinating efforts,” the document said.

The ability to perform under “changing and often-difficult conditions” – while simultaneously displaying “cultural awareness and sensitivity” – are among other contract requirements. Consequently, the agency prefers applicants with demonstrated leadership skills and Afghanistan-specific experience.

Daily communication with the Afghan and global media is another demand of this position, according to the PSC. Inviting journalists to the USAID Mission-Kabul for tours, providing informal interviews and holding “on-background” conversations with journalists likewise is expected.

Liaison visits to news operation facilities – where he or she will attempt to become “a familiar presence” while “working to earn trust” among journalists – is yet another critical element of the position. The selected candidate, serving as a member of the Mission Development Outreach and Communications Office, conversely will be tasked with arranging reporter tours of USAID-Afghanistan projects.

Getting agency-approved stories published in media, however, represents only part of this job, as the liaison also must “write senior-level speeches that tell the USAID story eloquently and catch the attention of reporters, editors and producers.”

Similarly, training USAID Mission-Kabul leaders and officers how to deal with difficult reporters is another key element of this outsourced post. The liaison not only will deliver lectures to mission staff, but also will conduct what are known as “murder boards” – which USAID described as “rigorous mock interviews designed to prepare subjects to deal with aggressive reporters.”

The liaison additionally will work with locally employed USAID personnel in scanning Afghan and international reporting on the agency.

To counteract what USAID deems to be “inaccurate or incomplete stories and editorials,” the liaison ultimately is responsible for producing “effective stories and hard-hitting commentary to fill gaps in news coverage.”

The Kabul-based position pays in the $84,697-$110,104 range, not including a 35 percent post differential allowance and 35 percent danger pay. Perks under the one-year contract include two rest-and-recuperation, or R&R, trips, three “regional rest breaks” and 20 days of administrative leave, in addition to 48 hours of travel time for each reprieve.

This article originally was published via WND.com on July 6, 2012. Under agreement with WND, rights have reverted back to the author, Steve Peacock.

06/26/2012

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration tentatively is planning to purchase 121,000 rounds of ammunition specifically for DEA Aviation Division operations in the U.S., the Caribbean, Central and South America, and Afghanistan.

According to a Sources Sought notice that U.S. Trade & Aid Monitor located via routine database research, the agency is looking to buy the following quantity and types of bullets:

80,000 rounds; .40 Smith & Wesson, full metal jacket (FMJ);

15,000 rounds; .40 Smith & Wesson, jacketed hollow point (JHP);

11,000 rounds, 9mm. Luger, FMJ;

3,000 rounds; 9mm. Luger, JHP;

10,000 rounds; .38 Special wadcutter;

2,000 rounds, 38 Special; Hydra-Shok (JHP).

The ammunition, according to manufacturer descriptions, is used for defense and target shooting, respectively.

DEA is seeking capability statements from vendors, but has not yet issued a Request for Proposals. Responses are due June 28.

05/07/2012

An analyst tasked with auditing governmental and nongovernmental financial documents is being sought by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to fill a contractor post in Afghanistan. The selected contractor will, among duties, review "activity approval" documents as well as "contracts, grants and cooperative agreements..." according to a Personnel Service Contractor/Third Country National notice released today.

The contractor would be housed in the heavily guarded Embassy compound, but USAID said conditions have gotten better for workers. For instance:

Life in Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan has somewhat improved since the establishment of the government, and great strides have been made to regularize the availability of services, utilities, and supplies of common consumer items. Living conditions, however, are still difficult but this is an historical opportunity to work closely with a dedicated team to assist the Afghans to bring about peace and stability to their war-torn country.

02/10/2012

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) recently approved a $63 million award to multibillion-dollar contracting behemoth AECOM to help Afghanistan officials at the district level to provide

improved functioning of government and to enable the provisioning of priority GIRoA [Government of Islamic Republic of Afghanistan-] led basic services to better instill confidence and build stability for affected populations.

FOR ADDITIONAL COVERAGE OF THE U.S. AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT, PLEASE VISIT THE MONITOR'S USAID PAGE.

11/12/2011

Many thanks to Sens. Jim Webb (D-VA) and Claire McCaskill (D-MO) for pressing the Archivist of the United States to release contracting records that the government decided to seal for the next twenty years. Considering that possibly tens of billions in contracts allegedly have been squandered or lost to fraud and mismanagament in Iraq and Afghanistan, it borders on criminal that the Archive would dare keep this critical information from the citizenry. Of course, it remains to be seen whether the government will actually rescind the decision to seal that data.